1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a driver circuit in a backlight system for powering multiple lamps, and more particularly, relates to an inverter that delivers power to the multiple lamps in incremental stages to facilitate control of individual lamps.
2. Description of the Related Art
The quality of a liquid crystal display (LCD) backlit by lamps (e.g., cold cathode fluorescent lamps or CCFLs) is enhanced by sequential blanking (or turning off) of one or more of the lamps in synchronism with a vertical sweep of a display image. The lamps are generally powered by direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) conversion circuits (or inverters). A separate inverter and associated controller are typically used for each bank of lamps (e.g., group of four lamps) to be blanked together.